Ryuu Kusari no Ori -Kokoro no Uchi no 'Kokoro'-

[LN] Volume 1: Chapter 6.1

This chapter was brought to you by the collaboration between PolterGlast and Saekano Translations.

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Volume 1 Chapter 6.1

An Unforgettable Birthday Part 1

Translator : PolterGlast

On the day of Somia's birthday party.

Once his classes were over, Nozomu returned to his dormitory and headed for the Francilt mansion, still in his school uniform, to bring a present for Somia.

Nozomu did not have clothes for such a noble daughter's birthday party, nor could he afford to buy them.

When Nozomu arrived in front of the main gate of the mansion where the party was to be held, he was simply overwhelmed by the size of the mansion standing in front of him.

The size of the mansion, where the daughters of one of the biggest noble families in the kingdom of Forsina reside, is one or two times larger than the other mansions in this area.

It is a three-story building made of marble and may be large enough to accommodate all the residents of a small village. The garden, as well as the mansion, is vast, and a fence more than three times the height of a person surrounds the outer boundary of the large property.

Although he had not really noticed it at the academy, Nozomu was once again reminded that Irisdina was a person of extremely high status.

"...... This is the venue, isn't it?"

"...... Yeah."

"This is a really big mansion ...... Onīchan, please don't do anything strange again."

Mars and Ena, who were next to Nozomu, were also taken aback by the sheer size and grandeur of the mansion.

"...... Say, why is Ena-chan here?"

Nozomu voiced his doubts at the sight of Ena standing next to him.

The reason why Mars joined the party was to apologize to Tima.

Neither Ena nor Hanna would allow the matter to remain unresolved.

However, Ena was not invited to the party in the first place.

While Nozomu was tilting his head, Mars was awkwardly averting his eyes.

"Nozomu-san, I didn't come here to partake in the party."

"Eh, then what for?"

"It's to apologize together with Onīchan to the person whom he was rude to the other day. I don't trust him to apologize properly by himself, so I forced him to come with me."

Apparently, the reason Ena came here was to keep an eye on Mars to see if he would properly apologize to Tima, with whom he had messed up in the infirmary.

On the other hand, Mars was not very happy with Ena's presence here. "Hmph!". He snorted and grumbled.

"Mars...... you......"

Nozomu turned his gaze to Mars in utter disbelief.

It was beyond pathetic that he couldn't even apologize without his sister's company.

"Don't look at me like you're looking at a coward! I told her I would be fine, but she decided to just follow me on her own!"

"What are you saying!? If it were just you, you'd just say something weird and make things worse!"

"Seriously, cut the crap! Are you my mother!?"

As expected, Mars protested against Nozomu, who stared at him with a jittery look, and Ena raised her voice in response to Mars' ranting.

"Mother? Are you kidding me!? If I were your mother, I would raise you to be a gentleman who is kind to everyone! I don't need a big kid with a big body like yours!"

"Gentleman, huh? Said someone who beats up her own brother using a chair in the store as a weapon. You're being ridiculous!"

"O-, oi you two......"

In front of the front gate of a magnificent mansion, a brother and sister casually engage in a verbal abuse match.

For the Dickens siblings, it might be the usual banter, but this place was not the commercial district where people were used to seeing the commotion they cause.

The two of them making a big fuss in the normally quiet administrative district were very conspicuous when seen from the side.

Naturally, the three of them attracted the attention of people passing around them, which was very embarrassing for Nozomu.

He tried to call out to the Dickens siblings to stop them somehow, but they were so absorbed in a battle of tongues that they did not realize how conspicuous they were.

In the meantime, a creaking sound was heard, and from inside the gates of the Francilt mansion, a maid, who appeared to be an employee of the mansion, came out.

"Excuse me. I would appreciate it if you would refrain from making such a commotion in front of the mansion."

The maid's words, though subtle, were clearly exuding displeasure, and Nozomu hurriedly stepped forward to bow his head.

"Ah, I'm sorry, my companion has made a lot of commotion. We've been invited to Somia-cha- ...... Somiliana-san's birthday party today ......"

"Are you? ......"

The maid frowned, clearly regarding Nozomu and the others as suspicious.

Nozomu and Mars were wearing Solminati Academy uniforms, while Ena was in her casual clothes and apron that she wore when she worked at the Ox-head Pavillion.

In addition, the culprits of the commotion behind Nozomu were unaware that this maid had appeared from the Francilt mansion.

While hearing the loud voices of the Dickens siblings, who were still arguing amongst themselves, at his back, Nozomu could only smile wryly in front of the maid, who was looking at him suspiciously.

"I am terribly sorry, but we cannot allow suspicious people into the mansion."

"Wait a minute."

"Y-, young lady!"

Sure enough, the maid was about to close the gate.

However, Irisdina appeared from behind and stopped the maid from trying to close the gate.

Behind Irisdina, there was also Tima, who, like Nozomu, was wearing the school's uniform.

"Hello, Nozomu-kun, you've come. They are my friends. You can let them through. I'll show them the way, so you may return to your duties."

"Y-, Yes."

"Thank you, Irisdina-san."

The maid left in a hurry upon the arrival of her master, and Nozomu couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief.

"Fufu, we can't simply send away the guests we have invited at our doorstep ...... Speaking of which, how long do you think they'll be at it?"

Irisdina, with her graceful appearance, wore a smile that could captivate anyone.

When she pointed this out, Nozomu turned around and involuntarily slumped his shoulders.

Mars and Ena were still arguing, oblivious to the appearance of the one hosting the party, and a crowd had already begun to form around them.

In a sense, it was amazing that they could concentrate so much on their argument without paying attention to their surroundings, but as a person who knew them, all Nozomu could do was sigh.

"You two ...... oi, we're going inside now. How long are you going to keep making a scene!"

""Huh?""

Mars and Ena finally noticed Nozomu's loud voice and let out stunned voices.

Then, once they turned their attention to Nozomu, they began to glance around.

Then they finally noticed their foolishness and rushed over to Nozomu and Irisdina in a panic.

"Nozomu, you should have told me to stop!"

"That's right, Nozomu-san! It was an embarrassment, wasn't it!"

"...... eh~~"

"...... pfft!"

Nozomu's shoulders slumped even further as they said something so unreasonable to him. Irisdina let out a chuckle at the sight of the three of them.

"Fufufu. It looks like you guys are having fun. But, Nozomu-kun, if you don't mind, could you introduce her to me?"

Irisdina's gaze turned to Ena, who was standing beside Nozomu and Mars.

"Ah, come to think of it, this is the first time you've met Ena-chan, isn't it?"

"Well. As you may have heard, I am Irisdina Francilt. Nice to meet you."

"Y-, yes! I am Ena Dickens."

Overwhelmed by Irisdina's presence, Ena nervously introduced herself.

Tima, who was standing behind Irisdina, also spoke to Ena with a smile.

"Fufu, I'm Tima Lime. Nice to meet you, Ena-chan."

"Ah, so you are Tima-san. I apologize for the trouble my foolish brother caused you the other day."

When Ena learned that the person her brother was involved with was the woman in front of her, she bowed deeply and apologized.

Tima was a little taken aback by this.

"I-, It's okay. Don't worry about it ......"

"No, as I thought, I can't just let it go like that ...... Or rather, Onīchan, you should apologize too! It was your fault to begin with!"

"Are you my mother!? You're the one making it hard for me to apologize!"

"What are you saying!? You can't even apologize on your own anyway! Isn't it why I'm the one who apologized first!?"

"I told you that was unnecessary!"

"W-, wait a minute, both of you! It's not a good idea to start another quarrel here!"

The quarrel between the siblings flared up again. Nozomu tried to come in between them, but he knew it was too late.

"Fu- ...... fufufu. Ahahaha!"

In front of the three of them, Irisdina unexpectedly began to burst into laughter while clutching her stomach.

Nozomu, Mars, and Ena all went rigid at the unexpected voice of laughter.

Tima, who was standing next to Irisdina, was also surprised to see her best friend laughing so hard, her mouth wide open.

"To think that the Ai could laugh this hard ......."

Nozomu inwardly agreed with Tima's words.

The Irisdina he had seen up to now was a girl who seemed to be somewhat calm and composed, and who clearly belonged to a different world.

She was a person who never wavered, who was dignified, who took on her responsibilities, and who went straight ahead without hesitation.

However, the girl who is laughing in front of him now does not give such an impression but is instead the very image of a young girl of the same age.

"Fufu, sorry for laughing all of a sudden. You two must be very close."

"N-, no, well ......"

"U-, umm ......."

"...... I see, Ena-chan, was it? Would you like to join my sister's party?"

Ena's expression turned surprised at the sudden invitation.

"Eh. B-, but ...... I've never been to a party at a mansion like this before, and I'm here today to accompany my brother to apologize. Besides, I'm dressed like this, and I haven't prepared any gifts ......."

As she said so, Ena looked quite hesitant and glanced over at her brother next to her.

In response to Irisdina's sudden invitation, Mars also scratched his head in an awkward manner.

As a matter of fact, Mars had already bought some items before coming to the party. He had bought some honey and sugary confectionery from the commercial district.

Sweetness is one of the best pleasures. The Francilt family would have been able to obtain any number of sweets, but it was still not a bad idea to have some on hand.

"Fufu, that's good enough for me. You don't have to worry about what to wear, either. This party is only for relatives, so there is no need to be so formal. Besides, at times like this, having more people to celebrate with is very important. Also, Somia would rather have someone to celebrate with than just a present."

By the way, it was Ena who chose the confectionery, and the cost was paid by Mars, who was forced to use his allowance to cover the cost.

Thus, since Ena was the one who chose the confectionery and Mars paid for it, it could be said that the confectionery was a present from the two of them.

"Well, since the host says so, isn't it fine? Besides, although I'm the one who paid for the present, you're the one who chose it ......"

"...... I understand. If I'm not a bother, please allow me to participate."

Ena was a little hesitant, but with the encouragement of Irisdina and her brother, she decided to participate.

"Well then, I'll guide you to the venue. Please follow me."

Following Irisdina's lead, Nozomu and the others walked through the gate and into the huge mansion.

As they passed through the main entrance, they were greeted by a luxurious yet elegant hall.

There are five maids in the entrance hall, and they bow deeply to Irisdina and the others. One of the maids stepped forward in front of Nozomu and Mars.

"I am sorry, sir, but I must take your sword."

This is a nobleman's mansion. Naturally, they were not allowed to bring weapons into the building. Nozomu and Mars left their weapons in the hands of the maid, who received them and went into a room next to the entrance, which appeared to be a storage room.

After entrusting their belongings to the maids, the group was led to the hall where the party was to be held.

The hall, which is also used for ballrooms, is very spacious, with a soft carpet on the floor and an elaborately decorated fireplace. The walls and pillars are also decorated with elegant, but refined ornaments, and portraits of the successive heads of the Francillt family are displayed.

There were already about two or three dozen guests at the party, almost all of whom were dressed in maids' and butlers' uniforms, and it seemed that most of the participants were people who worked at the mansion.

And at the far end of the hall is Somia, the star of this party.

Near her were three girls wearing Ecross uniforms.

They were probably Somia's classmates.

The party itself seemed to be a standing buffet, with a variety of dishes lined up on tables at the end of the hall.

Salads, soups, meat dishes, fish dishes, desserts, and drinks such as sake and tea. The aroma of the food is rich and full of flavor, and one can tell that the chef prepared all of the dishes with the utmost skill.

"It will be starting soon. Please wait for a moment."

Irisdina said so, left Nozomu and the others, and then made her way to Somia.

Somia, noticing her figure as she returned, said a few words to the classmates she had been talking to and left, then jumped into the arms of her beloved sister.

Irisdina also gently received Somia as she jumped to her arms.

Somia, with a goddess-like smile on her face, hugged her sister, and her sister, with a big smile on her face, embraced her.

The people around them naturally smiled at this gentle and lovely scene.

"Thank you for celebrating my dear sister's birthday with me today. I hope you will forget your usual duties and responsibilities for today and have a lot of fun."

The party commenced with Irisdina's opening speech amidst a warm atmosphere, and the participants who gathered at the venue began to enjoy themselves in their own ways.

Nozomu, Mars, and Ena decided to start by tasting the food that was close by.

"Mnn, this meat is so delicious. If we could serve it in our store, it might be ....... But the cost of the ingredients alone would be too costly ...... No, if we could at least just recreate the sauce ......"

"She is quite diligent, isn't she?"

"Yeah, most of the time it's Ena who comes up with new dishes and new menus at Ox-head Pavilion."

While watching Ena analyzing the dishes and racking her brain, Nozomu and Mars also took some of the dishes that she was tasting and tried them.

At first, the aroma of the flavorful sauce stimulated their nose, and when they put it in their mouth and bite into it, the meat, which was grilled to a reddish color, gave them a pleasant sensation of chewiness.

Then, the oil from the meat that melted in their mouths mixed with the sauce and produced a rich, savory flavor.

"This is so good ......"

"Yeah, to be honest, I don't know what else to say other than it's so damn delicious."

It was the finest dish they had ever tasted in their lives. While appreciating the deliciousness of the dishes, the two men took one plate after the other and finished them off.

The scene was not very elegant, but since the party itself was originally a small, exclusive event, and the organizers had announced that it would be an informal one, no one blamed them.

In fact, some of the maids and butlers seemed to be enjoying the food on their plates, which were piled high in their hands.

Even though they originally served the Francilt family, they too rarely had the opportunity to eat such luxurious food.

Therefore, when their eyes meet, they smile at each other and focus once again on the dishes in front of them.

Meanwhile, a crowd of people gathered around Irisdina, Somia, and Tima, chatting and laughing.

Especially around Somia, not only her classmates but also the butlers and maids who work in the mansion came one after another to congratulate her.

"Ah!"

Somia, who had been accepting their blessings for a while, noticed Nozomu and the others at the corner of the room and came with her sister to the table where Nozomu and the others were eating.

"Good evening, Nozomu-san."

"Good evening, Somia-chan. Happy birthday."

"Ehehe. Thank you for coming to my party today!"

Somia responded to Nozomu's words with a big smile on her face.

Somia was so happy that her voice was filled with joyful emotion.

"Nozomu-san. May I ask the names of your friends over there?"

Somia's eyes turned to Mars and Ena, who were standing next to Nozomu.

Perhaps startled by the sudden arrival of the star of the party, both Mars and Ena hurriedly swallowed down the food they had been munching in their mouths.

"N-, nggu ....... I'm Mars Dickens."

"Mnn! *Cough, cough* ....... N-, nice to meet you, Somiriana-sama. I am Mars Dickens' younger sister and my name is Ena. I was invited by Irisdina-san to join your party today."

"Oh, just Somia is fine. This party is an informal one, so it pleases me to have you join us!"

"Nice to meet you, little girl."

"Onīchan!"

"I don't mind, Ena-san. Don't worry about it!"

Somia, as usual, showed no concern for the difference in status, and Mars easily accepted her words.

Ena snapped angrily at her brother's impolite manner of speaking, and Somia hurriedly tried to smooth things over.

Thus, an intense sibling quarrel almost broke out for the third time.

"H-, hold it, both of you, we're currently in the middle of a party ......."

Tima, upon hearing the commotion, rushed to Somia's aid.

However, she, who was by nature not very assertive, was fatally lacking in terms of presence and power to stop this out-of-control sibling.

"Hey, Nozomu-kun. Are you enjoying yourself?"

In the midst of all this, Irisdina approached Nozomu.

"Well, yes. More importantly, shouldn't we stop them?"

While still holding a plate of food in his hand, Nozomu pointed to Mars and Ena who were making a commotion.

"I don't mind. Judging from what I saw in front of the gate, it seems that Mars and Ena are always like that. Besides, Somia seems to be having fun as well. Tima seems to be having a bit of a hard time though, but it's good to see her like that once in a while."

Looking at the commotion while smiling and giggling, she seemed to be having a lot of fun. Unlike her dignified persona at the school, Nozomu felt his gaze involuntarily drawn to her gentle and warm expression.

"N? Is there something wrong?"

"~. N-, no, it's nothing."

Nozomu found himself admiring the girl next to him and instantly became embarrassed and couldn't help but look away.

Irisdina watched Nozomu, who suddenly began to fluster, and then she abruptly moved closer to him. Her gaze was fixed on a small box held in Nozomu's hand.

Her action, which was rather brazen for a daughter of a noble family, made Nozomu's heart pound even faster.

"Is that a birthday present for Somia?"

"Well, yes ......"

"Thank you. Somia was also looking forward to it, so please give it to her later."

Nozomu nodded, and Irisdina's smile deepened in satisfaction as well.

Then silence fell between the two of them.

For a moment, they stood at the edge of the venue, watching the hustle and bustle of the party.

"Come to think of it, I haven't thanked you yet."

"Thank me?"

"Yes. Thank you for coming to this party. We celebrate Somia's birthday every year, but this year she seems to be especially happy. I'm sure it's because you guys are here."

"...... Hmm?"

Nozomu tilted his head, unsure of the meaning of Irisdina's words.

They are the daughters of a great noble family. A birthday party for a daughter of a great noble family would normally attract a large number of people, and even though it was only their relatives this time, there were still enough people to make the hall quite lively. That's why, Nozomu assumed that it was unlikely that she would feel lonely.

"Somia, despite her innocent nature, has a quite keen sense of perception. She is so perceptive that she can detect any malice or animosity at her age."

Irisdina accepted a glass of wine from a maid who came near her and swallowed the contents slowly.

"I have my fair share of experience in aristocratic society, but Somia is as good a judge of people's intentions as I am."

Irisdina said that therefore, they could easily see through those who approached them for their advantage or disadvantage.

"Our mother passed away right after giving birth to Somia. That's why I've been trying to be Somia's mother ...... I guess she misses her mother, after all. Somia always seemed somewhat sad whenever her birthday approached."

She then went on to talk about her own family matter.

Nozomu had no idea that their mother had passed away.

Irisdina's unexpected words made Nozomu's eyes widen, but he listened attentively to her words.

"But that is not the case this time. I think it's because she met you after all. Somia often talked about you at the mansion. She said she met a strange but kind brother."

"...... Is that so? But I would have never thought that just I alone could make that much of a change ......"

"I told you, didn't I? Somia is sensitive to people's malice and separation due to differences in status. Although the maids and butlers in the mansion are those who have served us since before we came to Arcazam, we were separated by a clear wall of status."

Those who serve and those who are served. It is said that the differences between those who serve and those who are served cannot be easily removed even over a long period of time. Especially for those who have served for a long time, a clear difference in status is imprinted at the base of their conscience.

However, Nozomu's behavior towards Somia was mainly due to him not realizing that Somia was the daughter of a high-ranking noble.

"That's why, at least while we are in this city, I want you to forget about your status difference with Somia."

Irisdina had certain expectations of Nozomu and the others because they did not have any preconceptions due to the difference in status in the beginning.

Nozomu had considered changing his attitude several times before, but since her sister begged him not to, he had no choice but to comply.

"...... I understand."

"Thank you. You're so kind."

"Well, I don't think so ......"

"You are kind. When people hear that we have lost our mother, they tend to either provide words of comfort or try to cheer us up with pointless encouragement. But you were different."

"I was simply speechless, you know?"

"That's fine. You didn't try to mend your situation with poor words or attitude, but you put yourself in my shoes and gave me your consideration, didn't you?"

Nozomu was so impressed with the way she was able to guess exactly how he was feeling that he couldn't help but fall silent.

She was certainly skilled at reading people's minds. Nozomu was amazed at her keen perception.

"You are not a heartless man, as they say in the academy. Rather, you seem to be an overly kind person. You're still at the academy because you're thinking of your childhood friend, Lisa-kun, aren't you?"

And her next words made Nozomu's eyes widen.

"Even the rumors that are spreading in the academy are most likely baseless. Well, I have no proof, just a hunch."

At the same time, a variety of indescribable emotions welled up from deep within his chest.

A childish pent-up emotion at the thought of being told that he was innocent and joy of having his innocence recognized. Anger and sadness from remembering the time when he was rejected by the person he cared about most.

His heart was pounding wildly, and his vision was narrowed by his shaken emotions.

With eyes shaking with agitation, Nozomu awkwardly averted his gaze from Irisdina.

"...... What a surprise."

"Are you surprised? I'm a person who relies on my perceptions a lot."

Nozomu's surging emotions subsided as she smiled at him, holding up her index finger and placing it to her lips.

What remained at the bottom of the gentle ripples that followed was a feeling of joy.

Nozomu's mouth, which had been frozen in a stupor, reflects a gentle smile.

Irisdina was also smiling with satisfaction at the expression on his face.

"Gosh, please stop this ----!"

"Ah ......!"

Hearing Somia's loud voice, Nozomu and Irisdina's eyes were drawn back to Somia and the others.

Somia and Tima seemed to be trying to stop Mars and Ena, who were still bickering with each other, with agitated looks on their faces, but it seemed to be no use after all.

However, neither Somia's friends nor the maids and butlers of the mansion, who only watched the young girl's struggles with gentle smiles on their faces, made any attempt to intervene.

Certainly, there might be a difference in status that separated them.

However, judging from the expressions on everyone's faces as they watched over Somia, it was easy to see just how much she was loved in this mansion.

"Geez! Ane-sama, Nozomu-san, don't just flirt at the edge like that. Please do something about this!"

In response to Somia's cry, Nozomu and Irisdina exchanged glances and shrugged their shoulders.

"Well then. The princess is calling us, so let's get going."

"Yeah, I guess I'll stop Mars for the time being."

The two nodded to each other and walked into the commotion.

The great hall of the party venue was filled with a warm atmosphere before they knew it.

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